2011-2014 The College of Idaho. Faculty Growth & Development Grants (FG&D). Awarded a total of $3900 for travel to Murdock Research Conference (2011), HHMI Workshop (2012), Idaho Academy of Science Annual Meeting (2013) and Ecuador (2014).

2011-present M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and The College of Idaho. $50,000 Start-up Research Funding.

2011 Micron Foundation Community Grant. Awarded $2,000 for partial funding of the 2011 Math and Science Summer Institute at The College of Idaho. With Co-PIs Robin Cruz and Katie Devine.

2) Secondary research area: With support from HHMI SEA-PHAGES program, we identify new bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) and perform genomic analysis. Techniques: Microbiology, electron microscopy, viral genome sequencing and annotation using various bioinformatics tools. This project has resulted in two new mycobacteriophage genomes submitted to Genbank.

2005-2009 Ph.D Research (Graduate Research Assistant), University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA).

2011, 2012 Instructor and organizer, Math and Science Summer Research Institute, The College of Idaho: June 6-10, 2012 & June 4-8, 2011 (Caldwell, ID). Event consisted of 5 days of activities for 60 7th and 8th grade students from Syringa Middle School (Caldwell, ID). Instructed middle school students in microbiology techniques and the use of mathematics to analyze problems related to the spread of disease. One of four faculty instructors at the week-long workshop.

2014 Tachick, S.J. and R.L. Daniels. Discovery and genomic analysis of a novel mycobacteriophage isolated at The College of Idaho. Idaho Conference on Undergraduate Research (Boise State University, Boise, ID).

2012-present Biomolecular Research Center Affiliate Faculty, Boise State University

2010-present Sigma Xi

2010-present Idaho Academy of Science

2010-presentFaculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience

2007-presentInternational Brain Research Organization

2007-presentSociety for Neuroscience

ACADEMIC SERVICE:

2014 Academic Calendar Task Force (College of Idaho).Worked with faculty and administrative staff to ensure the academic calendar remains consistent with financial aid eligibility guidelines established by the Department of Education.

2013-present Bioinformatics Coordinator, College of Idaho NIH-INBRE. Work to increase research and educational opportunities for students in the use of computers to analyze biological datasets. Coordinate with science faculty and IT to ensure adequate computer resources for research on the College of Idaho campus. This position is supported by the NIH INBRE program, NIH Grant No. P20 GM103408 (NIGMS).

2012-present Curriculum Council Member and Chair (College of Idaho).

Currently serving as Chair and representative of the Natural Science Division for a standing College-wide committee charged with overseeing curriculum and academic programs.

Served on the planning committee for the IAS Annual Meeting (March 31, 2011-April 2, 2011) held at the College of Idaho campus. Recruited industry sponsors and organized a discussion session on the involvement of undergraduate students in research.

Personal Statement

Professor Daniels has been at The College of Idaho since 2009. He teaches Neurobiology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Frontiers in Biology, and an introductory course called Daredevils, Drugs, and Dopamine: An Introduction to Neuroscience. His scholarly interests include sensory biology—how organisms detect physical and chemical stimuli in their environment. The goal of his current research is to understand the molecular and cellular basis of temperature detection (thermosensation), and how this impacts the physiology and behavior of an organism.

What Professor Daniels enjoys most about teaching at The College of Idaho is the collaborative atmosphere among faculty and students in the classroom and laboratory.